A serious threat to public health

The government's ban on import and sale of meat and bone meal (MBM), a kind of poultry feed, is quite alarming for a number of reasons, including the fact that MBM poses a major public health risk.

While we laud the move to ban the import and sale of MBM, we feel that some immediate steps should be taken by the government. Drives should be undertaken to withdraw the supply of infected poultry in the market. And investigations must also be launched to find out the extent to which the market is filled with MBM-affected poultry and just how long this dangerous product has been used as poultry feed in the country. Why did it take so long to ban MBM which is thought to have been responsible for the deadly mad cow disease and is known to contain extremely harmful chemicals and residues? Many European countries and even India have already banned it. Poultry is one of the most important sources of nutrition for the population and it should have dawned on the authorities sooner that, if left unchecked, MBM could have unimaginable public health consequences.

The Import Policy 2015-2018 has clearly been violated as its provisions prohibiting import of poor quality MBM are not being followed. For instance, last year, the fisheries and livestock ministry discovered imports of low-quality MBM. Furthermore, it seems that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of MBM are pouring into the country through illegal means. So essentially, we have toxic poultry feed being brought in, that too in massive quantities.

The authorities must ensure that the ban on MBM is strictly enforced which includes checking the flow of MBM into the country through illegal means. Customs authorities should also remain on high alert. The fisheries and livestock ministry should explore viable alternatives to MBM through consultation with experts and other stakeholders, and whatever the alternative, it must be remembered that the quality of poultry feed can never be compromised for the sake of public health.